Retro desserts are the new foodie trend taking over your Instagram feed

S'more with icecream and a cherry

Credit: Banyan Bar

Recipes


Retro desserts are the new foodie trend taking over your Instagram feed

By Jenny Tregoning

6 years ago

Dust off your trifle dish, retro puddings are back in fashion

Teatime favourites are making a comeback on menus across the UK and, just like us, they have grown up into much more sophisticated versions of their younger selves…

Arctic roll

Sixties-themed VIVI in London’s West End has gone big on nostalgic sweets, including an afternoon tea with mini battenberg and candyfloss. But prettiest of all is its blackberry arctic roll. 

And Parlour in Kensal Green is renowned for its unusual (Fisherman’s Friend, anyone?) spins on this school dinner staple. 

Lemon meringue pie

Step aside, Sara Lee. The new breed of lemon meringues are, well, massive. 

Huge clouds of soft meringue are piled high on
a tart lemon base at retro Italian eatery Gloria in London’s Shoreditch, while bakery-come- hit-restaurant Jolene in Newington Green has also added this classic to the menu.

Trifle

Always a winner (especially with sprinkles), Benedicts in Norwich won the Great British Menu with its gravity-defying, free-standing trifle with sherry custard and edible gold dust. 

Upmarket trifles have also been spotted at Covent Garden’s Cora Pearl and Paul Ainsworth at No 6 in Padstow.

Rice pudding

Kahani in Chelsea serves up a vegan version of this classic dessert, made with soya milk, saffron, raisins and pistachio. 

Or reminisce about the opening credits to Live And Kicking with a bowl of rice pudding and Seville orange marmalade at Bluebird White City as you gaze at the former BBC Television Centre. 

S’mores

The brilliantly named Geordie S’mores at Banyan Bar & Kitchen in Newcastle are the dessert to spirit you away to Brownie camp – toasted marshmallows sandwiched between double chocolate cookies. 

For a DIY take, Flesh & Buns in Fitzrovia, London, let you build your own over a mini firepit at the table.

Marmalade sponge

A stodgy steamed pudding and a scoop of vanilla ice cream used to be a regular Sunday treat, and Pinion in Prescot is bringing back the best of them all: sweet, sticky, steamed marmalade sponge. 

It was also recently spotted on the menu at Noble Rot wine bar in Bloomsbury, London. Pass the spoon…

Image: Banyan Bar & Kitchen

Words: Jenny Tregoning

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